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Umbriel Simulation
This is a simulation of what one would expect to find on a terraformed Umbriel, using formulas from Math And Terraforming. Please note that not even the supercomputers at NASA can provide us with a perfect simulation. The information showed here is only an approximation. Basic data *Distance from Sun: 2875.04 million km *Distance from Uranus: 0.266 million km *Diameter: 1169 km *Solar Constant: 0.00535 *Mass: 0.00020 Earths *Mean density: 1.39 kg/l *Uranus's period: 84.021 Earth years *Day length: 4.144 Earth days *Rotation axial tilt: 98 degrees (82 degrees, retrograde) Atmosphere See Atmosphere Parameters Umbriel is the smallest celestial body in the Solar System which has a mass enough to hold an atmosphere for 1000 years and is close enough to the Sun to sustain plant life. People from some Future races, like the cosmic race, will be born in little or no gravity and will spend all their lives in such an environment. For them, walking on a planet or moon with high gravity will be impossible. They will spend all their lives inside stations, ships and buildings. Because of its small gravity, Umbriel could be their chance to walk outside without a space suit. *Atmosphere stability for oxygen molecules: **Earth's gravity (15 degrees C): 4.116 **Umbriel's gravity (15 degrees C): 88.14 **Umbriel's gravity (-175 degrees C): 30.02 *Atmosphere stability for water molecules: **Earth's gravity (15 degrees C): 7.320 **Umbriel's gravity (15 degrees C): 156.7 **Umbriel's gravity (-175 degrees C): 53.38 *Atmosphere stability for hydrogen molecules: **Earth's gravity (15 degrees C): 65.88 **Umbriel's gravity (15 degrees C): 1410 **Umbriel's gravity (-175 degrees C): 480.4 notes: A value below 10 means stability for over a million years, a value between 10 and 100 means stability between 0.1 and 10 millions of years, while a value higher then 100 means stability for less then 10 thousand years. This calculation does not include solar wind erosion. Conclusion: The atmosphere of Umbriel will be divided in two distinct layers, separated by a greenhouse gas buffer. In the upper layer, where temperature will be low, oxygen and nitrogen can be held for thousands of years. However, water vapors, if they make their way that far, will be lost into space. In the lower layer, even oxygen is nearly unstable. Water vapors will fast rise to the upper layer. Hydrogen, resulting from interaction between water molecules and ionizing radiation, will escape into space very fast. Umbriel lies inside Uranus's magnetosphere, so it will be protected from solar wind erosion, which anyway is not strong at this distance. The atmosphere will look like this: Ground average temperature: 15 degrees C *Surface pressure at sea level: 1 *Atmosphere total mass (Earth = 1): 0.83 *Atmosphere breathable height: 435 km *Atmosphere total height: 1295 km Ground average temperature: -175 degrees C *Surface pressure at sea level: 1 *Atmosphere total mass (Earth = 1): 0.44 *Atmosphere breathable height: 280 km *Atmosphere total height: 833 km Combined values *Atmosphere total mass (Earth = 1): 0.64 *Atmosphere breathable height: 360 km *Atmosphere total height: 1070 km. As one can see, Umbriel will have a very fluffy atmosphere, as high as its diameter. However, at that height, gravity is smaller (1/4), making the atmosphere to extend much further. Also, at that distance, speed of gas molecules get close to the escape velocity. Because of this, the moon will lose its upper atmosphere fast. However, the loss will not be so high and air pressure will not decrease significantly during a human lifetime. The moon could be habitable for a thousand years. Temperature Main article: Temperature. The first problem with Umbriel is that we need to gain the correct surface temperature. The Solar Constant is small (0.00535), compared to Earth (1.98). We will need Greenhouse Gases. The Greenhouse Calculator shows us that Titan will need 2.68 kg/sqm of sulfur hexafluoride. Climate Simulation Main article: Climate. On Earth, the average temperature is +15 degrees C. Technicians will try, with the help of greenhouse gases, to keep this temperature. Ariel has a smaller diameter then Earth (0.083), so air currents can mix temperatures faster. The atmosphere will be high enough to pass over all Geographic barriers. Average temperatures for each latitude: At equinox: *poles: 14.8 C *75 deg: 14.9 C *60 deg: 15.0 C *45 deg: 15.0 C *30 deg: 15.0 C *15 deg: 15.0 C *equator: 15.1 C At winter solstice: *poles: 14.7 C *75 deg: 14.8 C *60 deg: 14.8 C *45 deg: 14.8 C *30 deg: 14.8 C *15 deg: 14.9 C *equator: 14.9 C At summer solstice: *poles: 15.0 C *75 deg: 15.0 C *60 deg: 15.0 C *45 deg: 15.0 C *30 deg: 15.0 C *15 deg: 14.9 C *equator: 14.9 C Day - night cycle variation: Umbriel has an average day length (4.144 Earth days), but is well protected by its greenhouse layer. So, temperature variations between day and night will not be significant. *Daily temperature variation: 0.07 degrees C *Equator day-night variations: **Equinox: 15.06 to 15.14 degrees C **Solstice: 14.86 to 14.94 degrees C *Day - night variations for 45 deg latitude: **Equinox: 14.96 to 15.04 degrees C **Winter solstice: polar night, no variation **Summer solstice: polar day, no variation Seasons: Uranus has the most tilted axis in the Solar System, shared by all its inner moons. Because of the extremely long uranian year, one hemisphere will be covered in darkness for a long time, while the other hemisphere will experience a long polar day. However, because of the strong greenhouse effect needed, the moon will not experience temperature changes. At the poles, temperature will change between 14.7 and 15.1 (a variation of only 0.4 degrees C). Altitude variations: Given the fluffy atmosphere that will be created, pressure will not decrease significantly. A mountain 45 km high on Umbriel will experience a temperature change like a mountain that is 1 km high on Earth. So, temperature variations caused by altitude should be ignored. Conclusion. From all moons of Uranus, Umbriel will experience the most stable climate. It will be a perfect monoclime, with temperature variations below 0.5 degrees C on the whole surface. The immediate effect will be that water vapors will accumulate up to saturation levels. It will not rain, because temperature does not drop enough to allow this to happen. In such conditions, air currents will be so small, that oxygen and nitrogen will separate in the atmosphere. However, Umbriel has one major advantage. Because it is too far from the Sun, the atmosphere above the layer of greenhouse gases will be exposed to low temperatures and will start to condensate. They will form layers of haze that slowly will fall down. When they will reach the lower, hot layers of air, temperature will suddenly drop, creating strong air currents and rains. The atmosphere will cool fast, releasing its moisture as a powerful rain. Since Umbriel has a low gravity, water drops will be very large and will descend slowly. In the same time, because of the small gravity, frozen gasses from the upper atmosphere will merge in formations like snow, but much larger. The interaction between atmosphere layers could lower the temperature down to a point where it could even be snowing on the surface. After the atmosphere cools, it will slowly accumulate heat, increasing temperature and humidity. But, for a period of time, the sky will be blue and settlers will be able to see other planets and moons. Geography See also: Geography, Geographic Pattern - Tectonic and Geographic Pattern - Craters. Umbriel appears to be separated into an icy crust and a rocky core. It is unknown if the moon holds a subsurface water ocean. The crust is coated with dark material. Terraformers have 5 major ways to transform an icy Outer Planet: #Increase the heat, melt the ice and transform it into an Oceanic Planet, then leave it as it is. #If possible, build Artificial Continents after melting all the ice. #Use Ground Insulation, to save the icy crust, then cover it with solid rock. # Heat the moon, until solid particles from the molten ice will form a natural insulation above the ice crust (see Iapetus Simulation). # Heat the moon, melt the ice and cover the ocean with Ocean Insulation, a transparent layer of solid-liquid materials that will both simulate air pressure and will provide thermal insulation for the ocean. The first option, without an added source of heat, will take us a lot of time. at Uranus's distance, solar radiation is weak. The ice will melt with an average speed of 3.9 mm melt daily and 1.38 meters melt in an Earth year (see Adjusting Temperature for details). It will take us 72500 years to melt the ice down to 100 km. Still, if we manage to heat the moon somehow, then the ice will completely melt and we will have an oceanic world. Then, it is possible to build artificial continents, an option that is possible here, because the moon is not mostly made of ice. It contains also other materials that can be used. The third option, that of using ground insulation, might be possible using materials that already exist on the moon. Costs are smaller then the first two options. Umbriel is coated with dark material. We don't know clearly what is the origin of it, but it might be a mixture of clays and tholins. The needed material for an insulation and for creating soil above the ice could be made from this dark material. The fourth option is also possible. Since Umbriel is covered with a sheet of dark material, this natural insulator can be directly used to create the new soil and a thermal insulation. The fifth option will melt the whole crust, without creating a breathable atmosphere. The major problem for all variants is that Umbriel has its atmosphere pushed to the limit. A slight increase in heat on the surface might cause the atmosphere to expand beyond a critical point and be lost in space. 1. Oceanic planet: In this scenario, Umbriel will have a very deep, global ocean, with no island. Manmade floating islands can exist, still. The ocean, because of the lack of winds, will have only very small waves. Water will help mix temperatures. 2. Artificial continents: In this scenario, there will be large floating islands. Because the ocean is expected to lack powerful currents, continents will remain to their positions for a long time. To save budget, it is expected that continental crust will not be thick. So, high mountains will not exist. 3. Ground insulation: In this scenario, the moon will be covered with a global protective layer, that will insulate the ice for millennia. Many Geographic features will be altered (mountains excavated, craters filled), so the resulting terrains will be different. Probably, oceans will cover 50% of the surface. With this method, we can preserve many of the existing Geographical features. 4. Natural ground insulation: This option, the cheapest of all, will create erosion valleys on the surface and depressions filled with sediments. Water, being heavier then ice, will sink through holes and pores into the moon, freezing at a certain depth. Almost all Geographic features will be preserved. Ground will be covered with black soil. There will be no or almost no lakes. 5. Alternative Ocean Simulation: See also: Ocean Insulation. Conclusion: Depending on which method will be used, Umbriel might lose all its Geographic features completely, in part or not at all. In the following, we will chose the third option, the use of ground insulation. The Sky As any Outer Planet, Umbriel will have a lot of moisture in its atmosphere. The blue sky will be visible on rare occasions, that will probably be holidays on the surface. Still, from orbit, some celestial bodies will be visible. The Sun will appear 0.48 units wide (like an object 0.48 mm wide will appear if you look from a distance of 1 m, see Angular Size for details). Uranus and other satellites visible as disks will be: *Uranus - 225 units *Miranda - 1.34 to 4.36 units *Ariel - 3.24 to 38.66 units *Titania - 2.38 to 7.50 units *Oberon - 1.88 to 4.26 units Some planets will also be visible, with a Magnitude as follows: *Mercury: 6.2 to 6.3 *Venus: 3.3 to 3.5 *Earth: 4.5 to 4.8 *Mars: 5.9 to >6 *Jupiter: 2.3 to 3.5 *Saturn: 2.9 to 5.3 Please note that values are calculating assuming that a planet is visible as a full moon and not as a crescent. Inner planets will only be seen as crescents, so their visible magnitude will always be with about one unit higher. So, Mercury and Mars will actually not be visible. On the other hand, a planet that is too close to a source of light like the Sun will actually not be visible. Because of this, only Jupiter and Saturn could be seen with the naked eye. Human Colonies *Population limit: 110 000 *Land population feeding capacity: 0.9 people fed from one square km *Largest city supported by environment: 440 people Assuming it will have similar types of terrain Earth will have, Umbriel can support a Population Limit of 110 000 people. Umbriel will be sparsely populated. Its environment will be pushed to the limit. Human activities can destroy the peculiar equilibrium, hardly maintained with the help of greenhouse gasses. As people will go to cosmos, new, Future races will form, like the cosmic race. People born grown in no or little gravity will find impossible to walk on the surface of a planet. They will simply not support the gravity. They will spend all their lives living in enclosed space. Living all their lives on asteroids, small moons or space stations, they will go outside only with a space suit. With its little gravity, Umbriel can be an options for these people to walk on the surface of a celestial body without a space suit and breath in open air, not in a dome. Industry The dark colored surface indicates that it contains other materials then water ice. Because Umbriel was visited only once by a spaceship, we don't know exactly what it contains. Much of it, will be used for ground insulation and formation of the new ground. Still, limited industrial development is possible. Agriculture With very little illumination, it will be very hard for plants (see Plants on new worlds for details). Plants can grow using the light found at the orbit of Uranus, but they will hardly produce food for humans and animals. Probably, people will grow plants with the help of artificial light. Transportation With such a small gravity (0.2 m/s or 2% of Earth's gravity), ground vehicles will find it difficult to remain on road or on tracks. Air transportation will be the best way to move around both passengers and cargo. A human weighting on Earth 70 kg, on Umbriel will only weight 1.4 kg. In such conditions, people can fly with the use of handmade wings. People can run on water surface. Since Umbriel is tidal locked, there is no place for geosynchronous satellites. Still, there are some safe orbits around the moon for satellites that will provide telecommunications. The large atmosphere will pose major challenges for radio waves. There will be constructed at least one base on the surface, for space travel. Large interplanetary ships, carrying passengers and cargo to and from Saturn, will dock at Perdita. Then, smaller ships will ferry between the little moon Helene and Umbriel. Tourism By far, this should be the greatest source of income for Umbriel. The moon has the advantage that from time to time, after upper layers of air cool the lower atmosphere, the sky will be blue and clean for a while. People from Future races, mainly from cosmic races, will come here. These people, born and grown in little or no gravity, will be eager to explore what means to be outside, in the open air, because Umbriel will probably be the only place in the Solar System where they can do this. All other moons suitable for terraforming will have greater gravity. In addition, people from other races will come here. Even from someone coming from Earth, it will be an unique experience to fly in the atmosphere using wings and to run on water surface. Wild Life Assuming the ocean insulation method will be used, then oceans will offer the only place for life. Birds and mammals will not exist, because there will be no air to breath for them. Still, many species of algae and fish will adapt to this environment. Category:Simulation Category:Math